Life-size painting gets a face lift and returns to La Carafe

Ted Brown, left, and La Carafe owner Carolyn Wenglar pose for a photo at La Carafe, Friday, March 21, 2014, in Houston. Since 1960, a life-size painting of a woman named Gladys Knox has been hanging in La Carafe, the oldest commercial property in the city that has been in continuous use. The early 20th-century painting is believed to be the work of Scottish painter Sir James Guthrie. Over the years the painting has collected a layer of grime on the canvas and was sent to be cleaned and restored. ( Michael Paulsen / Houston Chronicle )